# Royal Delta Stakes

The Royal Delta Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. A race for fillies and mares aged four and older, it is run over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles on dirt. The event currently carries a purse of $150,000.

## History

The inaugural running of the race took place on 17 February 1991 as the Sabin Breeders' Cup Handicap over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles and was won by Fit for a Queen who was ridden by US Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey and trained by US Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey in a time of 1:42.50.
The event was named in honor for Henryk de Kwiatkowski's multiple Grade I stakes-winning filly Sabin and winner of the 1984 Orchid Handicap at this track where this event is held. Born in 1980, she won 18 of her 25 starts.
The event was classified as Grade III in 1994. In 2009 the conditions of the event were changed to stakes allowances and the race was run as the Sabin Stakes.
Royal Delta, winner of Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic in 2011 and 2012 won this race in 2013 easily by 5 lengths as the 2/5on favorite. In 2015, Gulfstream Park renamed the race after the three-time Eclipse Award winner to the Royal Delta Stakes.
This race was upgraded to a Grade II event for its 2014 running but returned to Grade III status in 2018.
The event has had numerous distance changes which can be viewed in the winner's table in the Winners section of this article.

## Records

Speed record:
* 1+1⁄16 miles – 1:41:00 Devil's Cave (2014)
* 1 mile – 1:35.18 Blamed (2019)
* 1 mile & 70 yards – 1:39.57 Hunzinga (1994)
* 1+1⁄8 miles – 1:50.49 Taittinger Rose (2006)
Margins:
* 8 lengths – Awesome Maria (2012)
Most wins:
* 2 – Awesome Maria (2011, 2012)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 – John Velazquez (2004, 2005, 2011, 2012)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Todd Pletcher (2005, 2011, 2012, 2023)
* 4 – Saffie Joseph Jr. (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025)
Most wins by an owner:
* 2 – H. Joseph Allen (1997, 2004)
* 2 – Hobeau Farm (1998, 2007)
* 2 – Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein (2001, 2003)
* 2 – E. Paul Robsham Stables (2011, 2012)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Distance | Time | Purse | Grade | Ref |
| Royal Delta Stakes |||||||||||
| 2025 | Dazzling Move | 4 | Dylan Davis | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Miller Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.08 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2024 | Honor D Lady | 4 | Jose L. Ortiz | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Final Furlong Farm & Madaket Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.74 | $154,000 | III | |
| 2023 | Classy Edition | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | Robert E. & Lawana L. Low | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:45.15 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2022 | Letruska | 6 | Jose L. Ortiz | Fausto Gutierrez | St George Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.43 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2021 | Queen Nekia | 6 | Corey Lanerie | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Ken Copenhaver | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.62 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2020 | Cookie Dough | 4 | Paco Lopez | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Arindel | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.57 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2019 | Blamed | 4 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | William I. Mott | Cleber J. Massey | 1 mile | 1:35.18 | $150,000 | III | |
| 2018 | Martini Glass | 5 | Paco Lopez | Keith Nations | Vince Campanella & Nation's Racing Stable | 1 mile | 1:36.48 | $200,000 | III | |
| 2017 | Curlin's Approval | 4 | Luis Saez | Martin D. Wolfson | Alter's Racing Stable | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.90 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2016 | Penwith | 5 | Luis Saez | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Godolphin Racing | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.16 | $200,000 | II | |
| 2015 | Sheer Drama | 5 | Joe Bravo | David Fawkes | Harold L. Queen | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.85 | $200,000 | II | |
| Sabin Stakes |||||||||||
| 2014 | Devil's Cave | 4 | Javier Castellano | Martin D. Wolfson | Alpha Delta Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:41.00 | $215,000 | II | |
| 2013 | Royal Delta | 5 | Mike E. Smith | William I. Mott | Besilu Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.31 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2012 | Awesome Maria | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | E. Paul Robsham Stables | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.82 | $98,000 | III | |
| 2011 | Awesome Maria | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | E. Paul Robsham Stables | 1 mile | 1:36.38 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2010 | Aurora Lights | 4 | Cornelio Velasquez | Eric Coatrieux | Chiefswood Stables | 1 mile | 1:37.79 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2009 | One Caroline | 4 | Edgar S. Prado | George R. Arnold II | G. Watts Humphrey Jr. | 1 mile | 1:36.87 | $100,000 | III | |
| Sabin Handicap |||||||||||
| 2008 | Lady Marlboro | 4 | Javier Castellano | James A. Jerkens | Susan & John Moore | 1 mile | 1:37.21 | $98,000 | III | Dead heat |
| 2008 | Golden Velvet | 5 | Eibar Coa | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | Darley Stable | 1 mile | 1:37.21 | $98,000 | III | Dead heat |
| 2007 | Swap Fliparoo | 4 | Javier Castellano | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm | 1 mile | 1:37.73 | $140,000 | III | |
| 2006 | Taittinger Rose | 5 | Edgar S. Prado | William I. Mott | Mike G. Rutherford | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.49 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2005 | Isola Piu Bella (CHI) | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | Sumaya U.S. Stable | 1+1⁄8 miles | 1:50.68 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2004 | Roar Emotion | 4 | John R. Velazquez | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | H. Joseph Allen | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:43.32 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2003 | Allamerican Bertie | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Steven B. Flint | Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.49 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2002 | Miss Linda (ARG) | 5 | Richard Migliore | John C. Kimmel | Ackerley Brothers Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.61 | $100,000 | III | |
| 2001 | De Bertie | 4 | Jorge F. Chavez | Bernard S. Flint | Richard, Bertram & Elaine Klein | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.74 | $103,000 | III | |
| 2000 | Brushed Halory | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Josie Carroll | James & Alice Sapara | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:41.84 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1999 | Timely Broad | 5 | Nicholas J. Petro | Michael P. Petro | Timothy Cunningham | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:42.50 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1998 | Radiant Megan | 5 | Julie Krone | H. Allen Jerkens | Hobeau Farm | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:41.25 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1997 | Rare Blend | 4 | Jerry D. Bailey | Claude R. McGaughey III | H. Joseph Allen | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:41.28 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1996 | Lindsay Frolic | 4 | Pat Day | Milton W. Wolfson | Stride Rite Racing Stable | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:43.70 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1995 | Recognizable | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | Ogden Mills Phipps | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:42.50 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1994 | Hunzinga | 5 | Julio E. Felix | Barranet Farquharson | Pauline Farquharson | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:39.57 | $75,000 | III | |
| 1993 | Now Dance | 4 | Mark Guidry | J. Bert Sonnier | Saron Stable | 1 mile & 70 yards | 1:41.68 | $50,000 | Listed | |
| 1992 | Lemhi Go | 4 | Robert Neal Lester | Robert G. Voelkner | R Magers | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:44.79 | $75,000 | Listed | |
| 1991 | Fit for a Queen | 5 | Jerry D. Bailey | Claude R. McGaughey III | Hermitage Farm | 1+1⁄16 miles | 1:42.50 | $76,700 | Listed | |